One for us blokes who, for whatever reason, never got to be at the pointy end of the grid: who are the famous, or even semi famous, names you have shared a race track with? (Evidence by way of programmes is optional).

One for us blokes who, for whatever reason, never got to be at the pointy end of the grid: who are the famous, or even semi famous, names you have shared a race track with? (Evidence by way of programmes is optional).

Well, I´ve told my tale on here before, but I once shared the track will SMBH. Who can top that? Sorry, I wasn´t into keeping programes in those days (more´s the pity ), but it´s true, trust me guv . Killarney, Cape Town, 1968 I think, anyway, the year Mike brought the fabulous 296 Honda 6 over, just to give us jungle bunnies a taste of the real thing. What a treat.

I can't claim to have sat on the grid with the likes of Hailwood or other "gods". I guess the closest I got was I spent several seasons racing with Robert Dumlop. I took this photo as we sailed out of Strangford lough on the way to the Island. It was Roberts first trip to the Island. We were going to Jurby for a 50cc race. Robert won (naturally!) at an average of 72+ mph. I was a distant second at 70 mph. I never left anonymous while Robert rose to dizzying heights.

One for us blokes who, for whatever reason, never got to be at the pointy end of the grid: who are the famous, or even semi famous, names you have shared a race track with? (Evidence by way of programmes is optional).

Well , Russ , i've shared the grid with SMBH --at Silverstone 1978 Mr Topps F1 race +KR several times , in fact almost all riders of the late '70's / mid '80's Pity I only took the bikes TO the grid !!!!! But , in hindesight , probably just as well ..........................................

I can't top Hailwood, Rhodie. My random recolections: in Australia, in only my second or third meeting ever, being in a race with hot shots such as Toombs, Hinton, Hindle, Atlee, et al, and of course, not seeing which way they went. I don't remember at the time though thinking this was in anyway odd (me being in the race that is) - the arrogance of youth I suppose; the buzz of coming over here and being on the grid with riders I had watched race when a kid, blokes such as Rex Butcher, Martin Carney, John Taylor.

Shared the track with two (eventual) World Champs in one race - Gardner and the one and only Joey, in the F1 race at British GP, 1984. They came past as a six wheeler along with Reg when they lapped me...what a sight (and sound). Unforgettable.

Shared the track with two (eventual) World Champs in one race - Gardner and the one and only Joey, in the F1 race at British GP, 1984. They came past as a six wheeler along with Reg when they lapped me...what a sight (and sound). Unforgettable.

Yep, that's the one! Some of you will know Graham Binnion, he worked with Fritz Egli in Switzerland and built the Egli frames for the original Godier/Genoud Kawasakis 'cos Fritz didn't want to get involved in anything with a Japanese engine. Graham made Egli frames in the UK under licence for some time before concentrating on automotive tool making, but he always harboured an ambition to build a world-beater and over the years made some interesting and sweet handling one-offs. The limiting factors with the Binnion Suzuki were the engine (a bored out GS550) and the rider, and the reason we qualified for the F1 race at the British GP was that we arrived early (dead excited to be in the paddock at a GP) and put in a time on Friday when it was dry. Saturday dawned wet, and some of the faster guys who didn't get there until after work on Friday couldn't get near the times set in the dry by ostensibly slower riders. We were on the back row of the grid next to Ray Knight whose bike was leaking oil. When I pointed it out he held up one finger (no, not that one!) indicating he'd do one lap, collect the start money, and pull in. That was the one and only time I got paid to race. Happy memories.

One for us blokes who, for whatever reason, never got to be at the pointy end of the grid: who are the famous, or even semi famous, names you have shared a race track with? (Evidence by way of programmes is optional).

Like many on here I have been priveliged to have shared the starting grid with all of the 1960's era world solo champions and beyond and many other famous notable racers of the 60's 70's too numerous to name but looked back on with fond memories although ability wise I was never in the same class just the same league.

Never raced. Push started lots of well know riders from the 60's - 80's, often picked a few of them off the floor and wheeled the bikes back to the paddock.

When I was a young lad, 10 years old, before the motorway went past Leicester, I would sometimes stand next to the start line and watch them come down devils.

And often an elderly gentleman would be there and if I remember correctly he was seated in a wheelchair, wearing a long coat and deerstalker hat. I was allowed to stand next to him and was told not to go anywhere else. The Gent was Rem Fowler. A really nice old Gent he was too.

And often an elderly gentleman would be there and if I remember correctly he was seated in a wheelchair, wearing a long coat and deerstalker hat. I was allowed to stand next to him and was told not to go anywhere else. The Gent was Rem Fowler. A really nice old Gent he was too.

At my very first Manx GP 1977 I was waiting out on the Glenclutchery road for a practice session to start and I saw this guy just along from me who looked familiar, I said to my mate Mick Jackson thats Hailwood in the blue helmet, we could not believe it, he was going out on a TZ 750 with a camera mounted on the tank, I think he did the lap to check out things for his comeback the following year !!

Strangely enough, my best one would be from schoolboy motocross days, in a Ringwood Club event at Winterbourne Stickland in 1971. I managed to hang on to Graham Noyce on his Zundapp Metisse for most of the race with someone else right on my back wheel - didn't look back to see who it was - too busy!! The other guy passed me on a jump on the last lap - a Maico ridden by Neil Hudson - 250 World MX Champion in 1981 if I remember correctly.

For road racing, my first ever meeting at Thruxton in 1974. It was a club event, but the Norton works team were based there, and Dave Croxford and Dave White turned up with works John Player machinery - scared the living daylights out of me when lapping my little 250 Ducati on the fast bit round the back! Also must have lined up with Steve Parrish at the Star of Tommorow in 1975 - but at different ends of the grid, and often rode with the other Harold Coppock riders, Wayne Dinham and Mick Patrick.

In my brother's old results from the eighties I found he was third at Brands - a bit further down the list of finishers was a young Damon Hill!!

Hi,
In 1971, when I started racing, an up and coming young Barry Sheene, was riding semi works Yamahas,and collected his spares from Sondel Sport Motorcycles, for whom I worked as a mechanic.
Just before the start of the season, Ron Baylis and I spent a practice day at Snetterton. Barry was there
and asked if I had ever been out on track before, and when I replied that it was my first time. he said to warm my bike up, and meet him at the collecting area, and he "would show me the way round on his 125 " (the ex Stuart Graham Suzuki Twin)
I followed him up to Riches, when I came out of the bend, he was disappearing around Sears!!!!!
He was sooooo fast, and i was so slow ! He was a great guy, and a real character.
Others I shared the grid for in actual races were Niel Tuxworth,Clive Horton,Austin Hockley,and any other ultra lightweight riders. I also rode in the 250 class at some Bemsee events, and remember the Late Eric Pinner, who was winning many races until he was tragicly killed in " The Island".
Alan Barnet also started in some 250 club races, as pactice, but he would normaly pull up before the finish, to let the regular club riders take home the silverware.
At one time, I travelled to, and raced in the same races with Fred Launchbury,( He was , I believe once earmarked as a possible Honda works rider). Unfortunately he was also killed at the TT the year after I was forced to stop racing.

Hi, In 1971, when I started racing, an up and coming young Barry Sheene, was riding semi works Yamahas,and collected his spares from Sondel Sport Motorcycles, for whom I worked as a mechanic. Just before the start of the season, Ron Baylis and I spent a practice day at Snetterton. Barry was thereand asked if I had ever been out on track before, and when I replied that it was my first time. he said to warm my bike up, and meet him at the collecting area, and he "would show me the way round on his 125 " (the ex Stuart Graham Suzuki Twin) I followed him up to Riches, when I came out of the bend, he was disappearing around Sears!!!!! He was sooooo fast, and i was so slow ! He was a great guy, and a real character. Others I shared the grid for in actual races were Niel Tuxworth,Clive Horton,Austin Hockley,and any other ultra lightweight riders. I also rode in the 250 class at some Bemsee events, and remember the Late Eric Pinner, who was winning many races until he was tragicly killed in " The Island". Alan Barnet also started in some 250 club races, as pactice, but he would normaly pull up before the finish, to let the regular club riders take home the silverware. At one time, I travelled to, and raced in the same races with Fred Launchbury,( He was , I believe once earmarked as a possible Honda works rider). Unfortunately he was also killed at the TT the year after I was forced to stop racing.

Pete, wasn't there a Sondel Sport connection with John Weedon? I recall Alan Barnett turning up at a club meeting too - great to follow, for a few yards anyway.....

I've not actually had the fortune, or skill, to race, but one meeting with a famous racer will always be a great memory. I dabble with oil painting, and the late great Steve Hislop signed one of my paintings for me at an open day. We chatted about painting, and I told him, at that time, I was hoping to turn pro and was always looking for photographers to work with. He gave me his mobile and home phone number, and said to ring anytime, and he would see what he could do.
How many top racers would go to those lengths to help an unknown? Treasured memory

Yes John was a regular visitor to the shop. He was a real nice guy, and a damned good racer. Another visitor was Stevie Woods, I believe he was the son of the legendary Stan Woods. He put one of his dads JAP engines into a Norton Featherbed, ( not too successful if I remember), he also raced a TD1C.
Grant Gibson appeared one day after the motorcycle comics announced we had built a 125 Yamaha racer.
The owner of the shop,Alan Jackson asked my opinion as I was then a regular spectator at meetings, and he got the ride, finishing 5th in the 125cc British Championship. The next season I bought the bike and started the most enjoyable 7 years of my life.

At my very first Manx GP 1977 I was waiting out on the Glenclutchery road for a practice session to start and I saw this guy just along from me who looked familiar, I said to my mate Mick Jackson thats Hailwood in the blue helmet, we could not believe it, he was going out on a TZ 750 with a camera mounted on the tank, I think he did the lap to check out things for his comeback the following year !!

Hi,I was riding in the senior M.G.P.in 1977 also. It must have been in the same practice that Mike the Bike passed me just after Bagaroo bottom with one hand on the bars.The other hand was trying to poke six inches of fluttering film back into the camera! he looked across, nodded and just buggered off.I rode with Joey and Raymond McCulloch many times in Ireland.Over a jump in the Temple Joey passed on the left,Raymond on the right.Both their wheels were level with my helmet! At the last ever meeting at Crystal Palace I finished just behind Eric Oliver.He was on a KTT Velo and I was riding my 350 Triumph.At Kirkistown Stanley Woods presented me with a cup for winning a race on Bill Hodges Scott. In 1997,just a few days after he was crowned World Speedway Champion I had a couple of match races with Greg Hancock at Swindon Speedway.We rode BSA gold star flat track bikes.It was for Classic Bike Guide magazine,the author who wrote it was Steve Wilson.Greg won the first race and I just nicked the second one.I was lucky-Greg tried third gear up the back straight and nearly ended up in the car park!Second gear was more than enough for me.In 1970 my wife and I rode a BMW R50S to Poland to watch the World Speedway Final.The bike broke down in East Germany and we only just got over the border into Helmsted.I had to go to Munich for parts-to George Meiers BMW dealership.The supercharged 500 that he won the TT on was in the window.He let me sit on it.I rode with many top speedway riders in the oldtimer euro series-Anton Kasper,Jan Holub,Malc Simmons, Albert Stickel and Jiri Stancl.Happy days.Yours in sport,Rotrax.

I was honored to be lapped by some of the finest in the 1960's in the classes I entered, 50cc and 125cc... I was privileged to observe the behinds of Mike Hailwood, Luigi taveri, Ralph Bryans, Angel Nieto and other fine racers, as they disappeared in the distance...

Apart from being in the same race as Mike the bike on a few occasions one of the funniest moments with him was at his house when he lived in Auckland. He threw a party and his party trick was to do a handstand in the shallow end of his pool. Nothing unusual about that.........except he was in the raw with his cream crackers flapping around!!. The look on the faces present is something that still makes me laugh

I shared the grid with Sheene, Granty, Parrish, Rob Mac, Joey and a few others from that era, I remember once sitting on the grid at Scarborough reading names on backs in front of me thinking bloody hell some of those were on posters on my bedroom wall a few years ago!!

Managed to beat Alan Carter a couple of times before he found his feet and started trouncing everyone.

Going back to a different era, when I was about 10 I used to go to Freddie Frith's shop in town most Saturdays and crawl all over the new Honda's in the showroom with my mates, I was getting into bikes but hadnt discovered racing then so didnt really appreciate just who Freddie was although i'd heard he used to race.

I remember clearly this very pleasant silver haired old man with metal rimmed specs who used to stroll around the showroom and was quite happy to let us clamber all over the bikes, while answering endless questions like 'how fast does this one go mister?' we must have been bloody nuisances when he was busy but he always had time for us all and was very polite.

It wasnt until a few years later that I realised just how famous he was, especially when I first went to the Isle of Man which would have been just after he'd passed away, I saw his pictures up in some of the old pubs and learned some of the history from that period, I felt so honoured to have met one of the stars from that era, almost all of whom are now gone.

I got outbraked by Ray Stringer when he was a novice @ the hairpin @ Cadwell (club circuit) he went on to finish 3rd in that race and I 4th

When testing my bike at the beginning of a season (wet and cold Snetterton Day) Keith Huewen was testing an SDC racing RG500
I shared a grid with Terry Rymer, Gordon "Crash" Allott (sorry mate a regular guy) and those 250 LC nutters of the mid 80s. Funnily enough none of them really hit the big time (exception Terry) although they were winners of the Marlboro award... I of course couldn't get within 1/2 a lap of any of the quicker guys!

I shared the grid with Sheene, Granty, Parrish, Rob Mac, Joey and a few others from that era, I remember once sitting on the grid at Scarborough reading names on backs in front of me thinking bloody hell some of those were on posters on my bedroom wall a few years ago!!

Managed to beat Alan Carter a couple of times before he found his feet and started trouncing everyone.

Going back to a different era, when I was about 10 I used to go to Freddie Frith's shop in town most Saturdays and crawl all over the new Honda's in the showroom with my mates, I was getting into bikes but hadnt discovered racing then so didnt really appreciate just who Freddie was although i'd heard he used to race.

I remember clearly this very pleasant silver haired old man with metal rimmed specs who used to stroll around the showroom and was quite happy to let us clamber all over the bikes, while answering endless questions like 'how fast does this one go mister?' we must have been bloody nuisances when he was busy but he always had time for us all and was very polite.

It wasnt until a few years later that I realised just how famous he was, especially when I first went to the Isle of Man which would have been just after he'd passed away, I saw his pictures up in some of the old pubs and learned some of the history from that period, I felt so honoured to have met one of the stars from that era, almost all of whom are now gone.

In the early 80's I shared the track with a certain Damon Hill in various Champion Of Brands races. I believe he went to do rather well on 4 wheels

But my best memory is of an end of season ACU F2 round at Donington in 1987. I was racing my F2 Kawasaki and was somewhere towards the rear of the field when Steve Hislop lapped me on his LC/TZ, going around the outside of me at Coppice, knee on the deck and disappeared off under the Dunlop bridge. If ever I knew I was never going to make a top level racer, it was then
My poor old Kwak couldn't take the humiliation either and dropped a valve coming out of the Goddard's hairpin that same lap.

Years later, it was Steve's book on riding the Island that helped me get to grips with the Mountain Circuit - A real talent that is sorely missed.

Not at all in the same league as you, gentlemen, but just for fun a very old post of mine unearthed for the occasion....

I haven't looked at a MotoGP site for ages, so do I get from your comments that Olivier Jacque has got a full-time ride for next season ? If so, I think he will be ahead of Randy de Puniet. I have nothing against Randy, mind you.....I'm even going to tell you a little personal memory . One of the very few times I dared to venture on to a circuit to pretend I was a racer, that was back in 1979 at the Carole circuit north of Paris on a track day, Randy's father Arnaud, who was at the time a reasonably good national rider, happened to be here mixing with the amateurs to try out his production RD400 Yamaha. As I was coming into the most technical curve of the circuit , a long right hander that started tight and then widened up onto the main straight , he passed me under braking, I clamped my teeth and somehow managed to stay right behind him as we were accelerating all along the curve, and I was following this guy with "De Puniet" written on his leathers and I was in heaven thinking man, I'm mixing up with the big boys.....

Sorry about that, I'm just sipping an excellent bottle of Yellow Wine from the Jura and I think I'd better stop writing nonsense and get my coat....

Similar to ZXRMAN, I was in qualifying for the 82 Race of Aces at snett on my F1 Kwacker when Mr Haslam Snr passed me on the outside of Corams. I had the sudden brilliant idea of hanging on to him and getting dragged up the grid a bit. Unfortunately i got so excited going into the old Russells that I missed a gear and introduced my pistons to my valves. I had to sit out the meeting as a paddock bound spectator but kept my leathers on just to look the part.

Just before the start of my second season in 1976 I went to Snetterton for a practice day. I'd just rebored the cylinder and fitted a new piston to my 250 Montesa Impala and was using the outing to run it in. Also there that day were the works Kawasakis of Mick Grant and Barry Ditchburn, along with Steve Parrish on a TZ750.

One lap as I was going into Riches Ditchburn came past on the ouside of me, as I exited Sears on that same lap I could just make him out tipping into the Esses at the end of the Revett Straight. A few laps later I was going down that same straight when I heard what sounded like a bang next to me accompanied by a blur of green and then there was a dot in the distance. I didn't know whether it was Grant or Ditchburn as by the time my eyes focused on the rapidly disappearing rider I couldn't make out the helmet design. This occurred numerous times throughout the day, with both Kawasakis and Parrish passing me.

I remember being a bit worried at the time about the speed differential and it was bought home when it was reported in one of the bike papers the following week that Parrish went through a speed trap that was set up at 156mph with Dithburn and Grant close behind at over 150. I was running in a production racing 250 single which on a good day would probably see nearly 90 and at certain stages of that day had a maximum top speed of 50-60mph. I look back now and it was bloody silly, bikes with a speed difference of 100mph shouldn't really have been on the track at the same time.

Hi. Your post sounds familiar! Back in the 70's track days hadn't been invented! There was no way of easing into racing gently, you just went out in open practice and mixed it with whoever was there. My first few Brands sessions were spent wobbling around on the Wednesday afternoons with our road going Ducati Demso 250, while Pat Mahoney was testing his TZ750. As you say, one hell of a difference in speed on the straights! It was better when he passed you on the corners - not quite as frightening, and a good chance to see how one of the top blokes did it. I was probably just getting in his way at the time but I never once felt he came too close, and he made it all look relaxed and easy. A nice guy and a great rider.

My first four races were on a very very uncompetitive machine. It was a Norton Dominator 99 with an old Model 7 - 500 engine with iron barrel and head. Standard road tyres, brakes etc. With a (strong) tail wind it might have just clipped 100.
On the grid at Castle Combe (1964) with Derek Minter, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read et al.
I kept in very close company with them all, that is until the flag fell to start the race. My bike eventually started and on the first bend, starting my second lap, I got the fright of my life when Minter went past (lapping me) at what seemed like 50mph faster. He and the rest of the field gave me plenty of room when they zipped past.
I was so dejected that I pulled in after only about five laps. You may not be surprised to learn that I did not make the final.
That was my second meeting the first having been Crystal Palace.
I still don’t know why I entered national meetings for my first time on track.
Oh well, they say you live and learn..........well some might do.
Unfortunately I lost most of my programmes during house moves.

My first four races were on a very very uncompetitive machine. It was a Norton Dominator 99 with an old Model 7 - 500 engine with iron barrel and head. Standard road tyres, brakes etc. With a (strong) tail wind it might have just clipped 100. On the grid at Castle Combe (1964) with Derek Minter, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read et al. I kept in very close company with them all, that is until the flag fell to start the race. My bike eventually started and on the first bend, starting my second lap, I got the fright of my life when Minter went past (lapping me) at what seemed like 50mph faster. He and the rest of the field gave me plenty of room when they zipped past. I was so dejected that I pulled in after only about five laps. You may not be surprised to learn that I did not make the final. That was my second meeting the first having been Crystal Palace.I still don’t know why I entered national meetings for my first time on track. Oh well, they say you live and learn..........well some might do. Unfortunately I lost most of my programmes during house moves.

Nothing wrong with a bit of confidence, Paul. I've clocked some of your photographs, or at least pics of you, elsewhere and was wondering if you're able to whack some up here?

My first 'race' (I use the term in its loosest possible sense) was at Cadwell in '75. I won't bore you all with the details of this debacle other than to say I was riding a clapped-out RD250 proddy bike with very dubious provenance, I've shared the starting grid with such luminaries as Clive and Gary Padgett, Mez Mellor, and Keith Huewen, amongst others. Unfortunately, all I saw of them was their arses as they lapped me, again...and again...

We have met BTW Terry, you fettled some RD400 pots for me when I raced with the FRC and Earlystocks clubs in the early '90s, again spectacularly unsuccessful but I enjoyed every minute of it.

No reflection on your tuning abilities BTW, just an enthusiastic but distinctly duff pilot.

My first 'race' (I use the term in its loosest possible sense) was at Cadwell in '75. I won't bore you all with the details of this debacle other than to say I was riding a clapped-out RD250 proddy bike with very dubious provenance, I've shared the starting grid with such luminaries as Clive and Gary Padgett, Mez Mellor, and Keith Huewen, amongst others. Unfortunately, all I saw of them was their arses as they lapped me, again...and again...

We have met BTW Terry, you fettled some RD400 pots for me when I raced with the FRC and Earlystocks clubs in the early '90s, again spectacularly unsuccessful but I enjoyed every minute of it.

No reflection on your tuning abilities BTW, just an enthusiastic but distinctly duff pilot.

Nothing wrong with a bit of confidence, Paul. I've clocked some of your photographs, or at least pics of you, elsewhere and was wondering if you're able to whack some up here?

I would like to see those pictures, Russell, if you would tell me where that elsewhere is please. As for photo’s I have taken, I have a few but most were taken at club meetings and I only know the names of a couple of the riders. I don’t know if they are interesting enough for a www (apart from one) and they are certainly not of very good quality.

I would like to see those pictures, Russell, if you would tell me where that elsewhere is please. As for photo’s I have taken, I have a few but most were taken at club meetings and I only know the names of a couple of the riders. I don’t know if they are interesting enough for a www (apart from one) and they are certainly not of very good quality.

I remember one day I was marshalling with a mate of mine at Oulton Pk it was a Transatlantic meeting I think it was 1984 we were at casscade's when a helecopter landed not far from us, out jumped Barry Sheene followed by Steph, Barry was swearing his head off not at Steph but at the helecopter, its seems the heater was stuck on and they were roasting so the next thing my friend and I were working with Barry on this helecopter, there was a flap that pulled air in off the engine for heat but had jammed open so there we were bits all over the floor and Barry trying to free this flap which he did in the end all good fun.